Crate or case



(No Medel.) sheets-sheet 1.

G. H'. BROWN. CRATE OR CASE.

No. 497.300. Patented Mey 16, 189s.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sneer 2.

G. H. BROWN. Y CRATE 0R OASE.

No. 497,300. Patented May 16, 1,893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HENRY BROWN, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA.

CRATE OR CASE.

SPEGIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 497,300, dated May 16, 1893.

Application iiled February 25,1892. Serial No. 422,779. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom. t may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEQRGE HENRY BROWN, alcitizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Crate or Oase, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to shipping cases; and it Vhas for its object to provide an improved case of this character which is especially designed for use in carrying fruits and vegetables, and which greatly facilitates the exposition of its contents on the market in the quickest and safest manner, and also effectually prevents the breaking or destruction of the cover and the disarrangement of the fruits or vegetables therein when in transit or exposed for sale.

It is also the object of this invention to provide an improved shipping case, which will meet the demands of the trade in providing a case simply and cheaply constructed, and while not necessitating the return of the same to the consignor on account of its value, at the same time will provide one having eX- ceptional strength and particularly durable in service.

With these and many other objects in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the saine consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:-Figure l is a perspective view of a crate or shipping case constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the cover thrown open. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view above the upper bands or hoops. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of one of the metallic fasteners.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Arepresents the bottom of my improved shipping case, to the sides and ends of which are secured the thin upright staves or strips B, which are regularly spaced from each other to allow for a ventilation of the case, and are so disposed that the grain thereof runs perpendicular to the bottom of the case. The

said upright staves or strips B form the sides and ends of the case,k which is preferably Vcult to properly fit the covers thereto.

rectangular in shape, and are securely bound to the edges of the bottom A by means of the thin overlapping hoops or bands O. The said hoops or bands C are of thin wood in order that the same may be readily bound around the entire case without breaking at the corners, and by overlapping each other and the vertical staves or strips B, cause the vertical disposition of the grain of said staves to overlap or cross the said overlapped hoops, and so materially strengthen the structure. Each of said hoops or bands serving to strengthen each other, the weakness of one hoop or band is thereby overcome, which by reason of its being single requires it to be of much thicker material, is more costly to manufacture, and is more liable to break in forming the corners of the case. The middle and top hoops or bands O and C2 respectively, are constructed and connected to each other and the case similar to the bottom overlapping hoops or bands O, being also of double layers of thin wooden strips for strength and pliability. The top overlapping hoops or bands C2 are securely nailed to the upright staves or strips B at a point below the top of the same so as to allow ventilation at the top of the receptacle under the cover D and between the upper ends of said staves or strips. In nearly all receptacles of this character where bands or hoops are used to form the upper rim or edge of the same, the great difficulty is that the sides and ends spring or bulge outward, and so weakens the case and makes it difti- To avoid this disadvantageous construction of cases, and in order to give a permanent rectangular shape and additional strength to the case, I employ stiff unyielding stiffening strips of wood E, which are secured inside of the case at the ends and on the sides thereof directly opposite the outer encircling double hoops O2, and also crossing the grain of said uprightstaves in a similar manner to said hoops or bands. The said strips are nailed to the said staves and said outside hoops or bands, and thus forming a strengthened top rim for the case and effectually preventing the bulging or springing out of the sides and ends of the same. In cases of this character most of the fastening devices for the cover are complicated and somewhat difiicult to use,

IOC

notwithstanding the cost of the same, and to avoid these objections I provide devices for securing the cover D over the top of the case in such a manner, and cheaply, so that while securing the cover in place, at the same time provide means for rapidly and easily showing or exhibiting the contents of the case for examination when on sale and also preventing the separation of the covers from the casing. To accomplish this I employ flexible metallic fastening strips F Which are secured to the under side of the cover D in from the ends and sides of the same, being preferably secured to the cover by the strengthening ribs G, secured also to the under side of the cover. As stated, the said fastening strips F are constructed of flexible sheet metal and are designed to pass down through the spaces f formed by the vertical spaced staves B, between the inside strengthening strips E, and the outside overlapping bands or hoops C2, at the top of the case, and are then bent as at f up around the outside overlapping hoops or inside strips as desired. In order to more securely lock said fasteners in position, the eX- treme ends, or at least near the ends of the same, they may be provided with the projecting prongs or tacks f2 which are pressed into the said outside hoops or inside strips. Now it will be readilyseen that the cover is tightly fastened in position by simple and effective means, which not only serve as fasteners, but

as hinges for the cover. By simply loosening the metallic fastenings on one side and at the ends of the case, the cover may be quickly and easily thrown up to expose the contents of the case, in such event, the metallic fastenings upon the opposite side of the case serving in the capacity of hinges for the cover, which is thus held in place and may be readily refastened overthe top of the case. The said case may accommodate the ordinary berry baskets H arranged in tiers therein as illustrated in the drawings, or for other analogous purposes as will be readily noted.

The construction, and advantages of the herein described shipping case are thou ght to be apparent without further description.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a shipping case, the combination with the spaced staves, of the outer bands or hoops encircling said staves near their upper ends, inner unyielding stiffening strips E secured within the case directly opposite the ends and sides of the encircling hoops or bands, a cover, and flexible metallic fastening strips formed of broad flat strips of sheet metal secured to the under side of the cover in from the ends and sides of the same and provided with prongs or tacks near their outer ends, said fastening strips depending from said cover in aline with its edges and being adapted to pass through the spaces formed by the spaced staves between the inner strips and outer hoops, bent up and over either said hoops or strips and having their prongs or tacks engaging the same to form hinges or permanent fastenings, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY BROWN.

Witnesses:

M. F. DAUGHTREY, W. W. HALL. 

